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It was half a year ago that I emerged from the regime’s prison, what I once described as the “dark side of the moon”, into the light. Yet for millions of Belarusians, that darkness remains. I turn to you, our friends and partners, with heartfelt gratitude for your solidarity and tireless work during all these years in support of a free Belarus, and with a strong sense of urgency about the critical work that still lies ahead.
The urgency is grounded in reality. Human rights work in Belarus today is both more dangerous and more necessary than ever. According to Viasna Human Rights Centre, more than 1,100 people remain behind bars for political reasons, repressions continue and prisons are full. While some prisoners are released, new arrests follow, creating a revolving door of injustice. Independent media have been dismantled, civic initiatives forced into exile, activists and their families have been persecuted, called terrorists and silenced, and pressure on Belarusian culture persists. The machinery of repression has not stopped; it has adapted and intensified in the last 5 years.
More than 1,100 people remain behind bars for political reasons, repressions continue and prisons are full.
The fate of Belarus is inseparable from that of Ukraine. Ukrainians are fighting not only for their own freedom, but also for the future of a democratic Belarus. A free Ukraine, within the European Union would strengthen the prospects for change in our country and reinforce security across the region. None of us will be truly safe with dictatorships in our neighbourhood. The future of both of our countries is in the united Europe.
Despite the regime’s efforts, Belarusian civic and political life has not disappeared. It has moved, into exile, into underground initiatives, into new forms of solidarity. The unprecedented migration of active citizens, cultural leaders, journalists, and human rights defenders carries within it the seeds of future transformation. No one will do this work for us. We must strengthen unity among democratic forces, support independent media and grassroots initiatives, and deepen cooperation across the Eastern Partnership region.
Regional solidarity among civil society organisations is therefore not simply desirable; it is strategic. By working together, sharing expertise, advocating jointly, and defending common democratic standards, we increase our collective resilience. I am convinced that change will come. Our responsibility is to prepare for it, to remain principled, and to ensure that when the moment arrives, Belarus will be ready to return fully to the community of free and democratic nations.
– Ales Bialiatski, Human rights defender, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Chairman of the Human Rights Center Viasna
This article is a contribution to our 2025 Annual Report. Discover it here.
